1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for reducing stress. By using the apparatus and method described herein, a user can apply an electric current to the surface of the skin and thereby induce muscle relaxation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stress, along with its related muscle spasms and tensions is ubiquitous in today's world. Many devices have been used to relax an individual's muscles and thereby relieve stress. Several devices have been employed which apply varied amounts of low level voltage and amperage to an individual for this and other maladies. There are other devices on the market that generate low-level pulsed electrical currents, but these devices are not used to stimulate the skin, producing dermatones that induce relaxation. These other devices use Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) applied to the head for medical and or psychological purposes. CES signals are transmitted by placing electrodes bitemporally, forehead to posterior neck, or through the earlobes and focus on specific points in the body similar to acupuncture to produce local effects of relieving pain.
Still other devices use probes with relatively high current density output, (Eg. several hundred microamps through a 0.25 inch diameter probe) to specifically relieve pain in local areas; such as, elbows, ankles, knees, etc. Most of these have turned out to be nostrums or only to work by some sort of "placebo effect." There is therefore a great need in the art for an effective muscle relaxation device for relieving stress. The few devices that have shown some causal healing have used local application of low level electricity, wherein the electricity is not applied in the manner contemplated herein. It has been found that applying the particular electrical signal described by the present invention, to the surface of the skin yields general muscle relaxation. More particularly, an improved muscle relaxation device and stress reduction method is provided which applies an alternating positive and negative d.c. low voltage to the skin surface layers.